No funds to fight dengue in Tangerang

No funds to fight dengue in Tangerang

TANGERANG (JP): Tangerang mayoralty has yet to start its
operation to prevent dengue fever here because of a limited
budget, the mayoralty's health office head Nuriman Machyudin said
on Wednesday.

"We are still waiting for financial assistance from the West
Java administration to procure chemicals needed to destroy the
mosquitoes and their breeding grounds," Nuriman said.

He said the mayoralty needed Rp 170,000 (US$25) to disinfect
40 houses. "Rp 90,000 is for the fumigation worker's allowance
and Rp 80,000 for one liter of Malathion chemicals."

According to Tangerang General Hospital, as many as 26
patients have been treated for preliminary dengue fever this
month.

This week at least three people, residents of the densely-
populated areas of Jatiuwung, Karawaci and Cibodasari, have
reportedly suffered dengue fever.

The health office has records of some 17 subdistricts in
Jakarta which are known for outbreaks of dengue fever, including
the subdistricts of Sukasari, Karawaci Baru, Cibodasari, Jatake
and Cimone.

The mayoralty's secretary Achmad Sudjai admitted that he had
not heard about a dengue fever epidemic.

"I don't know. I have yet to receive a report on such a dengue
fever epidemic," Sudjai said.

He said the mayoralty had not yet allotted funds in
anticipation of an epidemic. (41/jun)